It's being called the “next trend in male grooming,” and, frankly, we'll just have to take their word for it. The “it” is scrotoplasty, or “scrotal lift,” to go with the trendy term.

It's plastic surgery for the scrotum.

Scrotoplasty's rise in popularity was probably inevitable. Since cases of plastic surgery for men have doubled in the past ten years, with no let up predicted, it stands to reason we would have to find more body parts to beautify to keep the ball rolling.

It is certainly not a new technique. Scrotoplasty procedures are well-established, but have been almost exclusively performed to correct abnormalities or to restore the scrotum to its normal self after injury or cancer. As part of the sexual reassignment surgery for trans-gender men, scrotoplasty is one of several operations performed to transform/reform the external genitalia into a penis and a scrotum. But scrotoplasty as aesthetic enhancement is a rather recent phenomenon.

It is (happily) a minimally invasive procedure. The plastic surgeon removes excess skin from the scrotal sac and the joins are positioned where natural grooves form up to the scrotal ‘seam’ so as to minimize any scar visibility. A scrotoplasty is a routine outpatient procedure, performed under local anesthesia, and will generally set you back about an hour, and $4,000.

Who's giving their scrotum a new coat of paint? Men in their 30's through those past retirement age, apparently. And why? According to the website for Bella Vou Pantiles Clinic, the UK's premier cosmetic scrotoplasty facility, the reasons are as much for comfort as they are aesthetics.

Men's testicles begin dropping during puberty, and although it's not a very rapid process, it is relentless, as collagen weakens and our skin loses some of its natural strength, resilience and elasticity. Genetic factors can also speed the descent. Excessive sweating and rash to the area is common and can interfere with the activities of our daily living. 

But the Clinic won't accept every patient. They screen their prospects and will only perform the procedure upon those whom they feel will benefit both physically and psychologically.

The post-op procedure is relatively uneventful. The scars heal within 10 to 14 days. Patients may find some mild discomfort for 3 to 5 days and are expected to go back to their daily activities and work at 1 week. The final results won't resolve until 6 weeks after the surgery. Sperm production is not affected by the procedure.